Of the 25 countries with the highest rates of early marriage, the majority are affected by conflict, fragility, or natural disasters, the report finds.

And girls trapped in early marriage tend to be poor, under-educated, and living in rural areas where birth and death rates are high and where conflict is common.

Other drivers included harmful traditional practices and the lack of alternative opportunities for girls — in particular, the lack of opportunity to go to school. Girls will also marry because of threats and coercion.

The report identified the top 10 countries with the highest child marriage rates:

Country

Percent married before 15

Percent married before 18

1. Niger*

36 percent

75 percent

2. Chad*

35 percent

72 percent

3. Bangladesh*

32 percent

66 percent

4. Guinea

20 percent

66 percent

5. Central African Republic

21 percent

61 percent

6. Mali*

15 percent

55 percent

7. Mozambique*

17 percent

52 percent

8. Nepal*

10 percent

51 percent

9. Malawi*

9 percent

50 percent

10. Ethiopia*

24 percent

49 percent

* Countries where World Vision works to help build communities that promote and provide for women and girls’ development along with men and boys.

Early marriage poses serious challenges

“The fun of planning a wedding and the heady excitement of the first weeks of marriage will not be the experience of 13.5 million girls this year,” the report says. One in nine girls around the world is forced to marry before her 15th birthday.

Those who are subjected to early marriage are more likely to experience domestic violence, forced sexual relations, poor reproductive health, and lower levels of education, according to the report.

“Early marriage poses a serious challenge to extremely hard-won development gains in least developed countries,” the report says. “And yet, in the face of these facts and the widespread condemnation of the practice, early marriage continues to flourish.”

Mobilize enlightened community leaders and parents to combat gender prejudices

How you can help

Pray for girls in cultures where early marriage is accepted and encouraged. Pray that girls vulnerable to early marriage would gain access to education and be protected from this unhealthy practice.

Make a one-time donation to our Girls and Women Education Fund. You can help provide resources such as school scholarships, art and music instruction, vocational training, and gender equality training. These resources help girls to stay in school, stay unmarried through their teens, and develop their innate leadership abilities — ultimately building a stronger, healthier society.

Sponsor a girl today. By investing in the life of a girl in need, you’ll help her to stay in school and avoid early marriage, while providing access to the resources she needs to become a healthy, productive adult.